Guwahati, Jan 30 (IANS) Assam Congress President and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, urging the posthumous conferment of the Bharat Ratna on late singer-composer Zubeen Garg.

Garg is widely regarded as one of Assam and the Northeast’s most influential cultural icons.

In a letter dated January 30, Gogoi said Garg’s untimely and tragic demise has plunged Assam and the wider Northeastern region into profound grief, leaving behind a cultural void that would be difficult to fill.

He described the late artist as a towering figure whose creative influence transcended regional boundaries and resonated across the country and beyond.

The Congress MP noted that he has consistently advocated national recognition for Zubeen Garg through various institutional forums.

Recalling his earlier interventions, Gogoi said that on December 3, 2025, he had formally raised the issue in Parliament, seeking the posthumous conferment of India’s highest civilian award on the acclaimed musician.

Gogoi further mentioned that a day later, on December 4, 2025, he had written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, drawing attention to concerns related to the circumstances surrounding Garg’s death during an official Government of India cultural engagement abroad.

In that communication, he had sought clarity and accountability from the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the incident.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, the Jorhat MP highlighted Zubeen Garg’s unparalleled contribution to Indian music and cultural expression, particularly his role in taking the Assamese language, folk traditions, and contemporary music to national and international audiences.

He underlined that Garg’s work helped place the cultural identity of Assam and the Northeast firmly on India’s artistic map.

Gogoi also referred to the overwhelming public sentiment across Assam and the Northeastern states following the artist’s passing, stating that people from all walks of life have demanded a fitting national honour for the late musician.

He asserted that posthumously conferring the Bharat Ratna on Zubeen Garg would be a befitting tribute to an artist whose life’s work became an enduring part of India’s composite cultural heritage and collective memory.

–IANS

tdr/dan